The call for project proposals for the fourth round of the Small Grants Competition under the “Impulse Project: Empowering Civil Society for Ukraine’s Sustainability and Recovery” has begun. The project is implemented by the International Renaissance Foundation and the Eastern Europe Foundation with support from Norway and Sweden. Applications may be submitted until April 3, 2026.
The Impulse Project is a three-year initiative aimed at strengthening the capacity of Ukrainian civil society organizations (CSOs) to participate in Ukraine’s recovery processes, advocate for democratic reforms, sustainable development principles, human rights, non-discrimination, and gender equality. The project also aims to strengthen the institutional development of CSOs and their role in shaping a resilient and inclusive democracy in Ukraine.
The small grants competition aims to support local and regional community initiatives that will promote recovery, inclusivity, gender equality, and environmental sustainability in the communities most affected by the war.
Eligible participants include local or regional civil society organizations, civic associations, charitable foundations, and community self-governance bodies that have at least one year of operational experience and are working on the recovery and sustainability of specific communities.
In 2026, the geographic scope of the Small Grants Competition was expanded. In the fourth round, organizations registered in the Kirovohrad, Poltava, and Cherkasy regions, as well as in the following regions: Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Zhytomyr, Kyiv, Luhansk, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kherson, and Chernihiv regions, are eligible to apply.
Organizations registered in the city of Kyiv may participate in the competition provided that their activities are directed toward communities in Kyiv or other specified regions.
- Optimal budget per project: from 1,000,000 to 1,500,000 UAH
- Project duration: up to 12 months
- Application deadline for the fourth round: April 3, 2026, 3:00 PM (Kyiv time)
In addition to financial support, competition winners will participate in a mandatory training program that includes workshops and consultations on management, financial, and communication issues, as well as seminars on gender mainstreaming, environmental standards, and sustainable development, along with free access to the “Zrozumilo!” online educational platform. Participants will also have the opportunity to join networks of regional centers supporting local initiatives and sustainability forums.
In early 2026, a call for institutional grants was also launched for young organizations registered between January 2024 and June 2025. Apply for the “Institutional Boost for Young Civil Society Organizations in the Most Affected Regions” grant program via the link.
